Golfing tee



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,141

w. LOWELL GOLFI NG TEE Filed Aug. 26. 1925 Ei/gni.

IENTOR.

W/LL/HM Lam/ELL BY vr "5 ATTORNEY.

-' be propelled with a momentum 'after use,

Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM lLO'WELL, OF MAPLEWOOD,

INC., OF NEW YORK, N.

NEW J ASSIGNOR TO THE NIEBLO MFG. C0. Y., lA CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GOLFING TEE.

Application led August 28, 1925. Serial No. 52,629.

This invention relates to articles of manufacture known as golfing tees,a device t0 conveniently and effectively support a golf ball for theinitial stroke or drive-off in the gameof golf. Particular features ofthis invention involve the provision of such an article that can be madevery light in weight, suliciently strong for its purpose, that will beapplicable to readily position on the ground, particularly in the caseof hard ground, and such a device which will involve no objectionableVcharacter-istie in use. The device aims to provide such a device thatif accidentally struck it will not that would endanger any one byimpact, a device which will not injure the turf if left on the gronn orwill not injure lawn mowers, and particularly a device which will offerno resistance to the stroke of a golf club accidentally hitting the teeinsteadof the ball, and will thus avoid any chance of interfering withthe aim and action of the player by being then invisible. It providesalso for such a device which is portableA and capable 0f manufacture atlow cost, and can therefore be discarded at slight expense, while also of a. nature permitting reuse by those who desire. i Othertees inventedby me and shown in patents and other pending applications have becomeknown as the peg tee, and are stuck into the -ground and in some formsadjustable as to height, and I have found that under certain conditionsthe groun on tees makes diliicult or impossible the ready insertion ofpeg tees, or if inserted in very hard ground they may offer a resistanceif struck, and for that reason I have devised for such special occasionsthe very light and economical tee that can be set on the ground and hasthe various advantagesv herein set forth.

A particular form of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,in which: i

Fig. l shows the tee in perspective on the ground with a golf ballresting thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a top view substantially the same as the bottom view.

Fig. 4: is a section on the axis.

Fig. 5 is a section on the axis of a modified form.

Fig. 6 shows a tee with a golf ball and with a retaining connection tothe ground to prevent the flight of the tee if accidentally struck, andthereby facilitate its recovery for reuse.

Fig. 7 is a modified form providing for adjustment of length, that isheight of the tee.

The tee consists of preferably integral material throughout having aconcave end 1 and a converging supporting body 2 merglng into a flaringbody portion extending to the other end 4 also having a concave snrface.At the one end the periphery 1a isof such a height as to engage a golfball on the rim with the concave surface so as to slightly exceed thecurvature of the smaller size golf ball. Likewise the opposite end orbottom of the rim 4 provides for the support of a golf ball, but may bemade of a different curvature so as to fit more closely to the surfaceof the standard or largerv sizes of golf ball, while at the same timethe rim la may be referred to as on the bottom of the tee and cooperateswith the recess in the bottom which may or may not be curved, butassures a base support so that the tee will be held upright irrespectiveof slight inequalities which would interfere with a perfectly flat basesurface.

The middle portion 5 is made small so as to cut down the weight of thetee to a minimum consistent with the necessary strength to provide arigid support and an article that will not break or chip away at theside d when handledr in the pocket or shipped,or

in the course of manufacture. In the modiication shown in Fig. 5 therecesses at either end may be extended for the purpose of still furtherreducing the weight and still maintaining strength of material in themanufacture of the article and for the rough handling to which suchdevices are liable.

In some cases reuse of the tees is desired, or it is desired to avoidthe promiscuous scattering of tees in the vicinity of the teeing ground,and therefore I provide in some eases a very light, preferably green orinvisible string 6 attached to the middle portion of the tee where itdoes not interfere in any way with the usual functioning, and at asuitable distance away I attach this string to a peg 7, which preferablyhas a head 8 of a sufiieiently large size for easy handling forinsertion and pulling out of the ground and made with a colorcontrastdepressed lil ing with the green grass or the color of theearth, in order that the holding-pin or peg may be readily seen, as inthe case of a bright red or bright yellow, and at the same time suchhead is made so that it will not break when the pin is driven into hardground by the heel, or otherwise. Such vconnection with the tee may alsobe flexible,

but in any event is of suflicient length so that the holding peg is notin a position close to the tee where it will be disconcerting to theplayer when addressing the ball and aiming.

The preferred form of this tee for hard teei-ng grounds, as in coldweather, consists ot' an integral light wood, but of sufficient strengthto provide the necessary characteristics but offering facilties formanufacture with economy. lt may, however, in some cases be made of moredurable material even hard wood, in which case more expensive tees willbe saved from loss by the method of conservation shown in F ig. 6.rllhey` are preferably of stiff construction so that the baserim and theball-supporting rim are to all intent and purpose rigid so as to assurethe steady support of the ball, without flexibility that would permitthe ball in the case of wind or jarring to be upset. llr may also makethe top and bottom identical so that it is immaterial which end is up,and the similar end rims provide in either case for a perfect ballsupport and a steady support on slightly uneven ground, while if desireda slight pressure and turning of the tee when placed in positionimpresses the rim into the ground and to a firm and level base support,which may be aided by an irregularrim as at 4. Such irregular rim may bescalloped leaving points, or having notches to cut into the ground, butin any case they leave a rim though interrupted, which would be suitablefor ball support particularly if the notches are not too wide.

Thus both ends of the tee may be notched if desi-red.

As some players desire to adjust the height oit support, the form shownin Fig. 7 provides one end 2a with a recess, and the other end 3a with atight-fitting shank so that the length of the article can be variedbefore setting it on the ground. Such smooth shank and recess provide acheap though'efective construction, but a rough screw and thread may beused if a more expensive tee, as, for example, in the case of a hardWood, is desired. v

It will thus be seen that when these tees are made of wood throughoutthe form permits strength and at the same time livhtness ofconstruction. The recessed sides provide easy handling, particularlywhen forcing the tee to a level seat on the ground.

The entire tee, while giving the proper steady support, is so small thatit is entirely under the ball and invisible from the osition of theplayer when addressing the all, and therefore in no way is disconcertingfor his aim or play in general, particularly as the use of the deviceassures him that an accidental hitting of the tee with the ball canresult in no harm to a bystander and no jar to the club, particularly asthe small size of the tee and its light weight insure its movement withno resistance, when touched by the club.

While various modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

l. A golfing tee adapted to stand on the ground without enetrating it,comprising two parts of su stantially equal diameter each having arecessed end one adapted to hold the tee upright on the ground and theother adapted to support the ball, interconnecting means ott lesserdiameter than the ends providing for adjustment of the distance betweenthe two supporting ends.

2. A goliing tee adapted to be supported upon the ground withoutpenetrating it, comprising two parts of substantially equal diametereach having a recessed end interchangeably adapted one to support thetee upon the ground and the other to support a golf ball, a. recess inone part at the end opposite its supporting end, a shank on the otherpart at the end opposite its supporting end, said shank fitting tightlybut slidably into the last named recess in the other part, whereby theheight of the tee may be adjusted.

3. Agoling tee comprising a double-ended reversible wooden support for agolf ball ot a maximum diameter less than one third the diameter of thegolf ball, both ends of the support being recessed so that either endmay serve as a base and the other as a rest for the ball, the rims ofthe recessed ends being serrated to render the tee more steadilysupportable upon the ground by pressing the serrations into the surfacethereof, said ends being joined by a constricted body portion, aground-penetrating peg having an enlarged distinctively visible head,and a flexible connection attached at one end to the constricted bodyportion of the tee and at the other end of the peg, the head of said pegbeing formed with a constricted port-ion whereby the peg may be readilyextracted from the ground.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this21st day of August, 1925.

WILLIAM LOWELL.

